Crockpot Cashew Chicken
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Combining crunchy cashews with moist tender chicken and teriyaki sauce, you won’t want to miss this easy crockpot cashew chicken recipe.
Slow cooker cashew chicken is another takeout favorite made easy at home, like my chicken teriyaki, chicken lettuce wraps, veggie lo mein (PF Chang’s copycat recipe), and beef lo mein. I love chicken teriyaki and I love cashew chicken. So a combination of my favorite ingredients creates cashew chicken in the crockpot. It’s a you’ll want again and again for supper.
While many consider slow cookers to be for fall and winter dishes, I think most of us LOVE our slow cooker in the summertime. There is nothing like having supper ready on a day when it’s 100+ degrees outside and not having to turn on your oven. A slow cooker sure does keep your kitchen a whole lot cooler!
Okay, back to my crockpot cashew chicken recipe. Did I mention that all you need is 4 ingredients? Chicken (either tenderloins, , or ), cashews, sugar snap peas (or the veggies of your choice), and teriyaki sauce. We simply slow-cook the chicken in the teriyaki sauce to make it super tender and flavorful. Then 30 minutes before serving, we add in the veggies and cashews so they retain their crunch for that hint of added texture. Serve over rice and supper is done!
I love easy and healthy supper recipes, especially for weeknights, and this slow cooker cashew chicken certainly fits the bill. So let’s get cooking!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken tenderloins
- Teriyaki marinade and sauce
- Unsalted cashews
- Rice
- Some type of veggie (I’m using steam in-bag sugar snap peas from the frozen foods section).
How To Make Crockpot Cashew Chicken
Place your chicken in your slow cooker.
Pour in one cup of teriyaki sauce and add in your cashews if you want them to be cooked and tender.
If you prefer your cashews to stay crunchy, add them in the next step.
Cover and cook on low for 7 for 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
After your chicken is fully cooked (about 30 minutes before serving) add in the sugar snap peas or other vegetables.
This is when you add in your cashews if you like them to stay crunchy.
Stir that up and cover the slow cooker again, until your veggies are tender. Serve over rice and enjoy!
This supper is easy, delicious, and easily customizable for your family.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and simply reheat in the microwave.
- You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- You can substitute the cashews for peanuts if you like.
- I’m using chicken tenderloins, but boneless skinless chicken breast or even chicken thigh works just as well. Besides chicken, you can use pork or tofu for vegetarian cashew chicken.
- Here are some other great stir-fry vegetables: broccoli, zucchini, bok choy, celery, mushrooms, edamame, and red or green bell pepper.
- Is it not a stir-fry without some heat? Go ahead and add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- You want to use unsalted cashews in this crockpot recipe. If you got your hands on , try and remove as much salt as possible before adding them to this .
- To make a traditional cashew chicken sauce, this is what you’ll need. Just mix the ingredients together in a before adding them to the slow cooker: 1/4 cup of soy sauce (or tamari), 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger or .
Recipe FAQs
Can you make crock pot cashew chicken nut-free?
Yes, if you like, simply substitute the cashews for water chestnuts instead.
What kind of rice should I use?
This is my favorite rice. You can get it near the Asian foods section (it usually isn’t near the regular rice). It’s kind of almond-shaped and a Korean friend of mine refers to it as “sticky rice”.
How else can I serve my crock pot cashew chicken?
Besides white rice, serve your cashew chicken with brown rice, cauliflower rice, zoodles, ramen noodles, or quinoa. You can also serve it with a green onion garnish.
Can I make cashew chicken on the stovetop?
Absolutely! Pan-fry the chicken first, then add the sauce, veggies, and cashews and let it simmer, covered, for 20 or so minutes. Then simply serve with rice. You can also follow these same instructions to make cashew chicken in the instant pot. Saute the chicken first, then add the remaining ingredients and cook for 20 minutes.
Can I make crockpot cashew chicken ahead of time?
Yes, leftovers will last up to 5 days in the fridge, so feel free to make this in advance. When it comes time to serve, just reheat it quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave.
You may also like these chicken and rice recipes:
Cheesy Chicken And Rice (Crockpot Version)
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Crockpot Fiesta Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenderloins
- 1 9-ounce package frozen sugar snap peas or veggie of your choice, thawed
- 1 cup teriyaki marinade and sauce
- 1 cup cashews can substitute for water chestnuts or peanuts
Instructions
- Place chicken and sauce in the slow cooker. Add in nuts if you prefer them tender but if you want them crunchy wait until step #3.2 lbs chicken tenderloins, 1 cup teriyaki marinade and sauce
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving, add in thawed vegetables and nuts (if you didn't add them in step #1). Cover and cook for another 30 minutes.1 9-ounce package frozen sugar snap peas or veggie of your choice, thawed, 1 cup cashews
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life.
~Omar Khayyam
You know, your infinite wisdom has said the words out of my mouth again! I don’t use my oven in the summer, only the crockpot when I want something that requires that type of cooking. I rely on your site to give me innovative ideas because there’s only so much pot roast you can eat (the easiest thing to throw in a crockpot and forget about)! Oh, and shredded pork too! Thank you again!
I also plan to make this this weekend. I think I might add some bell pepper. I can hardly wait for the smell to start wafting throughout the house.
You and me both grew up eating rice for dinner! LOL
I like eating jasmine rice.
We ate rice with whatever went on top depending on the meal. Homemade Chinese got plain rice but we always made enough rice so we could make rice pudding with the leftovers. Rice, sugar, raisins, cinnamon, egg yolks (for richness and thickening) and whipped egg whites all went into it and then cream poured over the finished product. Yum!! Funny story: we had a Japanese exchange student with us for a year–same age as my oldest son–and to make him feel more at home, I cooked rice for a few weeks after he arrived. I had long grain rice as that’s what I usually cooked. He tried to make rice balls with salt for a snack but long grain rice doesn’t work because it doesn’t stick together. He didn’t cook at home so he couldn’t explain that the rice balls were made from sticky rice and I didn’t know that either. So, the rice balls were sorta crumbly and never really balled up. He grew to love potatoes and all Texas food and grew a couple of inches and added 10 pounds before he went home.
alrighty, i just put the chicken in slow cooker and wanted to say thank you for the idea/recipe! your little Karo comes up with the sweetest things!! i want to play on a rainbow too so i am going to turn on the sprinkler in the back yard and watch all the “diamonds” sparkle while i stand there laughing getting soaking wet inside a round rainbow! (i hope the neighbors see me ) ha!
love your stories and snippets of your life…what was that big news about your career. i missed it! love from Granny M out in New Market
I want to come spend the day playing with you!! I haven’t announced it yet, but I should be able to tomorrow!! I am so excited to be able to share it with you.
well honey whatever it is i know God must have sent it your way, you are a little angel! i have had more smiles since i began reading your stories, you really are a ray of sunshine to so many of us out here during times in this world when there is far too many dark clouds. may God continue to bless you as you share His love and happiness with all of those who love to “visit” with you on these computers…i would bet that most of us here kinda feel like you are just like a close friend or neighbor we love to sit at the kitchen table with as we sip our coffee!!
thank you for sharing this recipe, I just put on the chicken with sauce on. I cant wait till tonight
Yummy, I can’t wait to hear how you like it!!
Spent the weekend up north at our cottage and enjoyed water sports and swimming in the lake. Even the hubby skied slalom ! This might not seem like a big deal but he is 59 and still got it! Our son and his girlfriend joined us and we got the dog to go for a swim… she loves to run at the shore and whines to join everyone. She almost fell in off the edge but we think the dock is too high for her. We carried her in and gently placed her in the water and she calmly swam back to shore. After we realized going back up the ladder was not an option… She tried but left a few scratches behind…
Spending family time together is a gift and its about making the most out of it.
Its taking a while and I am still learning to live in the moment and be present. That way you can actually live your life and enjoy it rather than have it be a memory before you know it! Your sweet rice sounds very much like something we call rice pudding. Boiled in milk and and sugar and then add Cinnamon to serve. Can be eaten cold or heated up. I like it both ways. If i heat it up then I add cream to it and its kinda like hot cereal. I can eat this anytime of day. It is usually eaten like a dessert in this neck of the woods. Not everyone is a fan which means more for me… LOL! ,,,,,looking forward to trying the recipe. Grateful for each moment…. hugs…
I am so glad to hear that you are living in the moment!! It makes such a big difference in our attitudes. ~HUGS~ Hope you have a great day!!